Pharmacist-led pneumococcal immunization education efforts may increase vaccination rates and decrease pneumococcal disease, according to a study published online in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. In the paper, a team from the University of Rhode Island (URI) College of Pharmacy describes two education campaigns, one for immunization providers and one for patients, which took place throughout the state from November 2013 through July 2015.

For the provider education campaign, the team developed a vaccination pathway covering pneumococcal vaccine schedules, indications, contraindications, and adverse effects for the PPSV23 and PCV13 vaccines, and included information about pneumococcal disease. The team attended 22 events for health professionals and presented the pathway at 121 pharmacies throughout the state.